God Hates the Sin but Loves the Sinner Genesis 6:5-8

God hates sin.  He has always hated sin.  I’m thankful that He loves the sinner despite the sin that the sinner commits.  Consider something we were told last night in our study of the Book of James about the cause for the flood and the similarity to what’s coming in the end of days as mankind allows our imaginations to run wild in sin.

“5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.    6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.   7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.   8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:5-8

So what is this sin and wicked imagination?  Consider Romans 1:18-32, “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;    19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.   20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:   21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.   22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,   23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.   24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:   25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.   26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:   27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.   28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;   29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,   30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,   31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:   32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

But the Good News is that even though we are completely messed up, God still loves us despite ourselves.  How do I know?  I think John 3 and Romans 5 tells us the best.  God loved us so much He came to the earth to die for our sins.  “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.   17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.   18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18  “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

He loves us despite our sin, but He can not stand our sin.  So what do we do?  We should repent of our sin to show thanks for the free gift of salvation Jesus died to provide us.  We don’t earn salvation and we don’t work to keep it.  If we did we would have place to say “look at me” but clearly our dirty rags are not worthy of anything but the sin debt we should receive.  The penalty of sin is death according to the Bible.  He died so we can live, so we should die to self and live for Him.  The day is coming when every knee will bow, as Jesus returns.  The key for eternal salvation will be to bow by faith before hand, so you can be saved from Hell’s fire.  If you have yet to repent of your sins and ask Jesus into your heart, you must do so.  Without faith you can not be saved.  No works, no religious actions or activities, no amount of love or charity, no heritage can save you.  You can only be saved by Jesus and that has always been and will always be by faith alone.

Turn to the Bible and you’ll see.  Ask God to show you yourself.  I’m here if you want some help.  I pray the message will resonate with those who are still lost.  God wants you to join Him in Heaven.  All you have to do is believe in Him and receive His free gift.   

Irony, O How Sweet.

Irony? Today I finished the Bible (don’t worry, I’ll start again tomorrow) as I prepare for my first day at Thomas Reprographics.

There’s a few things I love about the end of the Bible. One of my favorite verses is Revelation 20:10, because I know for sure the devil is a loser who’s time is limited. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” No matter how many times or in how many ways he beats me, ultimately he loses in the end and I will have victory because of Jesus.

I also love the fact that the second death will have no power over me, because my name is written in the book of life. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” 20:6 I will be with Jesus during His Earthly reign and I am ready!

But what happens after the 1,000 year reign of Christ, the great white throne judgement of God. This it what motivates me daily to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Judgement is coming. Hell is real and there is only one way to avoid coming out of it on the wrong side.

Going to Heaven is not a mystery. If you want to go to Heaven you must have your name written in the book of life. Those who don’t will be cast into the Lake of Fire and those who have their name written in the Book of Life will live forever in Heaven with God according to 20:15 and 21:27 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” 20:15. “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” 21:27

So how do you get your name written in the book? Not to over simplify, you must put your faith in Jesus. If you believe in God, you must believe in the one He sent, His Son. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11 “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. “9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

So that is it. My faith is built upon the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God as we read in Revelation 19:13 “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” He will reign forever in Heaven and I will be there with Him. The question is will you? Is your name written in the Book of Life? If not, won’t you trust the Lord, believe what the Word of God says, confess your sins, repent of them and trust in Jesus Christ? That friend is the only thing that will save you. Hell is real. Don’t go their because you put your faith in anything other than the Lord God Himself.

Proverbs 15:16 What motivates you?

I’ve been chewing on something and this verse as shared by my Brother in Christ Michael Kenney helped me. I love the Bible. Thanks for sharing Mike!

Proverbs 15:16 “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”

I pray what I do is always motivated by my fear of the Lord. That I seek Him above all and allow Him to work through me. He is mighty, He is powerful and through Him all things are possible. I’m nothing without the Lord. God can take the broken pieces of my life and use it for good, because He is good, not because I am. The great I AM isn’t fooled by any fancy words or actions that we purpose for self glorification or riches. What motivates us is every bit as important as what we do. The heart is what God wants first.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” I hope my treasure is in Heaven, because that’s where I want my heart to be.

I pray the Lord helps me keep my heart with Him. I never want someone to question the motivation behind my actions. I used to lie like it was nothing. Being honest is such a better way to live. My life in every way is far superior since repenting of lying. God has helped me come so far that dishonesty now makes my stomach sour. I am still a sinner, not worthy of anything but condemnation. It was only by the grace of God that I have been changed as part of the sanctification process, a process that will continue all the rest of my days here on Earth. I love who the Holy Spirit is helping me to become as I see Him reshaping me more into the image of Jesus and less and less like who I once was under my own influence and choices.

Perhaps we should all from time to time take inventory to see where our heart is, to make sure we are motivated to do what is right, because we love the Lord and want to please Him. If we are motivated to do anything, for any other reason, perhaps it is time to pray for forgiveness and ask the Lord to help us get back on track. Be blessed my friends.

Spiritually Feasting on the Manna of God by reading His Word Daily

I love feasting on the manna of God, spiritually of course, by reading His Word every day.

Some people wonder why God made man, others will give you a whole host of reasons from specific activities to more philosophical ideas, but there is only one reason God made man; and that is for His pleasure.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”   Revelation 4:11

Man can only please God by faith according to Hebrews 11:6, ” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

So my goal in life is simple, to seek after the Lord diligently by reading His Word, praying to Him, worshiping Him at Church and through my daily conversation and trusting Him with my life.  Where He leads, I want to obediently follow.  All of my hope is in Him.

Am I perfect?  Not even close.  I sin and struggle with sin daily.  I’m glad that Jesus who was perfect died and paid for my sins, so I didn’t have to be perfect to be eligible for salvation.  When I recognize my sin, I do try to confess it, repent of it and not do it any more to honor the Lord.  God loves us despite our sin.  I love Him because He first loved me.  He loved us all enough to die for us.  He has a plan for each of us, my goal is to accomplish what He has for me each day, until He returns or calls me home.  What is so awesome about God is He continues to love us despite how successful we are at following His plan each day.  His longsuffering nature gives us a new opportunity each day to do better than we did the day before.

The daily feast I consume by reading the Bible not only keeps me spiritually full, it also gives me everlasting peace, because I know for sure when my time on Earth is through, I will spend forever with Jesus in Heaven.  Do you have that same peace?  If not, and you want it, let’s read the Bible together and I’ll show you how you can know for sure and have peace like no other.

John 1:1-3 You are not a monkey-ape-neanderthal

If you believe you evolved from anything, clearly you don’t understand or believe the Bible. How sad.

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:1-3.

There is no great mystery to the world. It is a complicated design, far too wide in scope and detailed in the most minute things to be any accident or chance. Everything fits together like a puzzle because God made it that way. Where you see intelligent design in life, you must recognize the necessity for a designer. Let me clear it up for you if you are confused…your not a monkey or an ape or even a neanderthal, you’re a human being, made by God in His likeness according to the Book of Genesis. We were created with a purpose, to worship God. He desires to be our Heavenly Father. Do you believe?

No Jesus-No Salvation. Know Jesus-Know Salvation.

Can you be saved without Jesus?  No you can not.  Don’t take my word for it, take the Bible instead.

“7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.   8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.   9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:7-9

When combined with my previous post on 1 John 5:11-13 it becomes crystal clear. “11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.   12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.   13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Why was Jesus sent to Earth to die for our sins if there was any other way to Heaven?  Didn’t Jesus even request if there was any other way let this cup pass from me while praying to God in the garden of Gethsemane as we read about in Matthew 26:39, ” And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”  But we know that the world needed a Savior because it was condemned by the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.  Jesus tells us about this Himself when talking to Nicodemus (a very religious Jewish man, known as a Pharisee, who later put his trust in Jesus) in John chapter 3.  Consider John 3:17-18, “17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.   18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Don’t believe me, don’t believe yourself, instead be wise and believe God Himself, through the testimony of Jesus and the Bible.  If you put your trust in the Lord alone, you’ll never be sorry.  If you want to discuss or pray together, please let me know.  I’m happy to help and assist in any way I can.  God is good and He is waiting for you this very hour to surrender your life to Him.  What He has for you is far better than what you’ve had for yourself.  Forever in Heaven is better then anything this temporary existence could offer.   

1 John 5:6-13 The Words of Life

Assurance of Salvation is possible my friends. It’s really as simple as reading and believing the Bible. Do you believe the Bible is true? If so, if you have asked Jesus to be your Savior, then you will go to Heaven when you die.

“6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:6-13

There is no need to mince words. If you believe in Jesus, and you believe the Word of God, then all you have to do is repent of your sin and ask Jesus to forgive you. If you believe He alone can save you, then you will be saved. If you trust in anything else for salvation or believe in anything but God then you are lost and need to correct your faulty thinking. The Bible is true, read it, believe it and follow it, because it contains the Words of Life.

The Bible is Truly Unique 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 1 John 1:3-7

Why was the Bible written? Do you ever wonder what makes it different than all the other religious books out there that claim to be from or about God? There are many things that make the Bible unique. It was written by not just one person, in fact it was written by about 40 different authors, a wide array of nationalities and in different regions were used to write, from rich to poor, from prophet to king to fisherman to tent maker…the time period the Bible was written in covers over 1500 years and three different languages, yet the message reads as if it was written by a singular author and doesn’t contradict itself. How could that be? The answer is clear, it is of God, not man. It was the Word of God, given to inspired men, by the Holy Spirit of God for the expressed purpose according to 2 Timothy 3:16 of instructing us, edifying us, correcting us for the sake of doctrine and righteousness so we who believe in Jesus could not only be saved but used to shine the light of Jesus through our daily actions.

1 John explains that the things written were not just things that were spoken of, but things that they were first hand witnesses to. How awesome to know that the words written about Jesus are not just dictated notes to a third hand scribe, but were inspired words to a first hand witness, one who got to see with his eyes and verify the words he wrote for the Lord were accurate. This is why you can trust the Bible. It is the truth, the verifiable truth. No other book can claim to be anything close to the Bible, for as we know from John, the Word is Jesus, as Jesus was the Word before He became flesh for us, to pay for our sins on the cross at Calvary.

Consider these words from the Bible. Believe in Jesus as you read the Word, because it is unique and true. When what you think you know contradicts what the Bible says, then you must simply realize you are wrong. When you realize that you can trust the Bible completely, then my friends you are wise beyond your years. Share the good news that Jesus saves and let’s together shine His light through our daily conversations.

“3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:3-7

“16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Peter 1:4-11 Bear Fruit!

I love reading the Bible because it is full of instruction and reassurance. People often misunderstand why Christians do the things they do. We are not trying to earn our salvation by being good, for the only way to Heaven is through the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ, a gift He freely gave to all who will receive. Instead we do good things to honor Christ and try to become more like Him while we shine His light. The Bible calls it being fruitful. See the passage below as it helps explain. It is 2 Peter 1:4-11

“4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”